DON’T GIVE UP
Not giving up is sometimes a long process, because some of our goals or things we hope for in life take a long time; sometimes even a lifetime. Not giving up, therefore, must become a part of our character, a way of life, not just an attitude we take on sometimes. In order to be able to do that, here are some tips:
Focus on the far-away goal, but also focus on the next small goal, which you can see you are reaching. This helps you to see that you are really making progress. Looking only at the far-away goal can make you feel discouraged, because you don’t feel like you are getting any closer. You actually are getting closer, if you are working at it, but it is hard to perceive, because it is far away. In contrast, looking at the small goal, just a few steps ahead is encouraging, because we can see that it is right there, and we are definitely reaching it. When you reach that small goal, which is a step toward the big goal, look toward the next small goal. Each of these is a step up on the stairway leading to your ultimate goal! You will begin to see that you really are moving forward!
Don’t run away from problems and obstacles, and don’t be discouraged by them. All of us meet obstacles in life. It is part of life, and there is no way to avoid it. Our attitude then must be to welcome the obstacles, and realize that we will get past them if we don’t stop and keep going. It just takes more time and work. Obstacles change us. They can make us stronger, as we realize that we can overcome so many of them. These are part of the journey of life, and life is not just about reaching the end of it, but learning and living along the way. The process of life is itself, a goal. Obstacles are not accidents! They are there for a good purpose, and we grow by them.
Pace yourself, day by day. Don’t wear yourself out by too much work, and not enough time to enjoy life, including of course, family and friends. Without family and friends, our goals become hollow and meaningless. Sometimes, by going slower, we get to our destination faster, because we don’t wear out along the way. The marathon runner knows he must pace himself, and save energy, in order to run the whole race. Life is definitely a marathon race, and the idea is to reach its end joyfully because we have run well. Live each day, one by one, loving those around you, giving to those you can give to, and sharing what you have. This makes life fulfilling, worth living, and gives us strength to run the next lap on the course.
Don’t compare! The race someone else is running might not be the race that you were designed for, and if you tried to run that race, you would feel unhappy and possibly fail. Each of us has “a race” to run, and what matters is that we run that one well. When we come to the end of the course, our score will be according to that race which we were given to run, not another person’s race. If you feel that the race of your life is unimportant, and that someone else’s is more important, then think again. “Big, important people” are also forgotten eventually, but loving, kind people are always remembered by those, whose lives they touched. Just concentrate on being one of those kinds of people, and you will have succeeded in your LIFE RACE!
YOU ARE IMPORTANT! YOUR LIFE IS IMPORTANT! KEEP RUNNING AND DON’T GIVE UP!
